Hong Kong’s legislature will break from another tradition by withdrawing a valedictory motion marking the end of its four-year term, with a veteran lawmaker citing concerns over electoral fairness.

Starry Lee Wai-king, chairwoman of the Legislative Council’s House Committee, who was supposed to put forward the farewell motion, revealed on Tuesday that she withdrew it after receiving feedback from some lawmakers.

The motion typically sees lawmakers delivering goodbye speeches to mark the term’s end and expressing their political hopes for the city.

The move came as the city’s largest political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, announced that five of its lawmakers would not seek re-election in the December 7 poll. That brought the number of legislators who have said they are stepping down to 21, nearly one-fourth of the current 89 members.

Lee said the election was shaping up to be highly competitive.

“Some lawmakers worry that having the valedictory motion could prompt unfairness, while others want more time to focus on election matters with the nomination period approaching,” she said, without elaborating on why a debate might be unfair.